Update: Hardy har har har. I can't believe my mistakes. Chuckles Thank you for finding them, they are now fixed. I hope I didn't ruin the 'mood' for you, although you must understand; my corneas were half covered by the insides of my eyelids when I wrote that. :)
Chapter Ten
The Girl in the Emerald Robes
"Padfoot, what are you doing?" asked James. Harry, in the process on scooping out some porridge for himself, froze.
"Whaddo mean?"
"You hate porridge." Doh! I'm such a git.
"Yeah, well… I'm just tired." Harry grabbed some toast. James just shrugged it off, and for once, Lupin didn't question it again.
"So, what do you want to do today?" asked Lupin
"Go to Honeydukes," answered James, spraying Lupin with cereal and milk "Oops, sorry Moon," James froze, staring at Remus.
"What?" snapped Remus.
But it wasn't Remus that made James stare, it was the certain girl behind him.
"Potter, you can't go to Honeydukes today."
"Why is that, Evans?" asked James, smirking.
"Why do you think?" she spat. "We aren't visiting Hogsmeade today."
"Oh, right. I forgot." Lily squinted her eyes suspiciously.
"I'm watching you, Potter."
"Why, thank you Evans."
"That wasn't something to be proud of."
"It isn't?" Lily blushed.
"No, it's not. Now if you would excuse me…" she turned to leave.
"You're excused," James said, smirking in his devious way. Lily scowled.
"Why can't you be less like… you, Potter?"
"Because I am me."
"Whatever," she left. Harry decided he needed to do something.
"James… I mean, Prongs," he caught himself. "Lily, I mean, Evans would like you so much better if you were a bit more polite."
"I am polite! I'm the politest person you'll ever meet!"
"So modest, too," Lupin snorted. "I agree with Padfoot, if you really liked her, you would listen."
"Fine," James folded his arms and leaned back, amused. "Since when have you become Mr. Perfect?" he addressed Harry.
"I just know that's not what you should act like around them. You have to be quiet, let them talk. My friend Herm—es. Yes, Hermes, told me. He knows a lot about girls."
"Is he in Gryffindor?"
"No, he goes to a different school."
"Okay. So what does he say?"
"Well, he says…" James waved his hand in Harry's face.
"I don't want you to tell me. I want you to show me," the three smirked. Harry blushed.
"Fine," Harry got to his feet and walked over to the brilliant, red haired head. He tapped her on the shoulder, excitement rippled down his body. This was his mother. The person that saved him from death by sacrificing herself. She turned around, familiar green eyes cocked in a certain humor.
"What do you want Black?" she sounded bored.
"Well, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for everything I have done," and will do, "to you. And you're right about me; I'm a pigheaded loser. You'll never hear from me again." Lily's mouth fell open in shock, as did her group of friend's.
"Is this a joke?"
"No joke, Lily."
"Don't call me that."
"Sorry." They stared at each other.
"Okay, you're forgiven," she said. Harry grinned
-xXxXxXxXxXx-
"Padfoot, you are the biggest bloody genius…" James was walking down the hall, hands behind his head. "All this time, I knew you were smooth with the women, but only because they fancied you."
"Gee, thanks."
"No problem," said James, completely missing the tone of sarcasm.
The four boys crossed the hall and into the Potions room. Harry, expecting to see a greasy Snape, was slightly taken aback by his 'new' Potions Master… or Mistress.
The woman, who could also be a girl, wore bright emerald robes. She emerged from her office looking worried. She was muttering something, and buried her face in her desk papers. She held a curious beauty. Her red and blond hair was thick and curled down to the middle of her back in corkscrews. Her eyes were ice blue and striking, her skin pale and milky. Her age seemed to be about twenty, in Harry's opinionated guess. She's like one of those innocent damsels from romance novels… did I just think that?
"Damn, where did I put the aardvark tails?" She mumbled, digging through the papers on her desk.
"Erm, there they are," said Harry, pointing at a bottle of tan tails, inches from her fingers.
She stood up straight, a few inches shorter than Harry and grasped the bottle, bringing it to the back room. James and Peter were laughing, while Lupin looked slightly concerned.
"Are you quite sure she's not been hit with a Memory charm?" asked Lupin seriously.
"She's nutty. A real Hogwarts Professor," said James.
"What's her name, again?" asked Harry, breathless.
"Are you quite sure you haven't been hit with a Memory Charm?" retorted James, not answering him.
"Where are we sitting?" asked Peter nervously, hoping to get a seat close to James and Harry.
James took a cauldron by the last torch in the room. The Potions classes were still held underground. Harry sat by James, and Peter sat behind them, partnered by Lupin. The bell rang.
"Okay…" said the girl in the emerald robes, emerging from her office, usual white cheeks flamed with red. "Today we are going to be making a Potion to revive people from Petrifaction. The main ingredient are Mandrakes, which you can find here," she pointed her wand at the cupboard, and everyone braced themselves, expecting them to fly out. They didn't.
"The instructions are on the board," she pointed her wand behind her and the chalk began scrawling out instructions. "If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask."
A brunette that commonly sat next to Lily's hand rose.
"Yes?"
"Professor Sennacheirb, is there a point for this assignment? I mean," she giggled. "I don't think this is a very… useful potion."
"You'd be surprised," mumbled Harry. But the Professor Sennacherib seemed slightly taken aback and blushed.
"Ms. Celrit, this potion is necessary to know, there are dark creatures out there that don't kill you… at first."
"Like what?" asked the girl curiously.
"Never you mind," the girl waved her hand dismissively. "Any other questions," no one raise their hand. "Good."
-xXxxXxxXxxXxXx-
The Potion proved to be quite difficult, and not just for Harry. A couple groups had added Crumbled Hornstank too fast, and their cauldrons exploded. Harry and James, however, were doing okay… for a while.
"So, Padfoot," addressed James. "So…erm… Evans… I mean, if you want to…"
"Yes?" asked Harry, knowing the exact words that would precede his.
"Didcha wanna ask Evans if she would forgive me? Like you?" Harry shook his head.
"You have to do it yourself, it works better."
"Did Hermes tell you that?"
"Yes."
"Okay, when should I do it?"
"I recommend you do it now," chipped in Lupin, adding some insects to his cauldron, which hissed and turned from yellow to blood red.
"Why?" James blushed.
"Because she's coming this way."
Lily indeed, was coming this way, but only to put extra supplies back in the cupboard.
"Oi, Evans!" James hollered to her.
"What?" she stopped and looked at him.
"Come here," and with a nudge from Harry "Please." She came, face full of a curious expression Harry couldn't place.
"What?" she repeated, covering the expression on her face.
"I just wanted to—to tell you that I—I…"
Ding! Ding! Ding!
The bell rang, and Lily shifted her weight impatiently.
"Nevermind," James muttered. Lily looked a bit disappointed, opened her mouth to say something, stopped, and left them.
"Damn," James pounded the edge of the cauldron, which soared over and smacked Peter in the face.
James didn't laugh.
